Cycling wants to become safer with a new database. The world association UCI, the tour organization ASO as well as the teams and the drivers’ union presented the “SafeR” project in Bilbao.
Dangerous situations in races such as falls are recorded in the database, it is filled by all those involved and should be fully functional from the beginning of 2025. The knowledge gained should be used to prevent falls and other dangerous incidents. However, it is still unclear how the program will be funded.
“Our mission is to make the streets safer,” said UCI President David Lappartient. “The speed of the drivers is getting higher and higher, it is becoming significantly more dangerous.” Despite all efforts, everyone involved agreed that it will be impossible to prevent all serious falls. The death of the Swiss Gino Mäder two weeks ago is classified as tragic, but probably unavoidable, since it was a driver’s error according to current knowledge.
According to the project manager and former professional Michael Rogers, the database has so far provided valuable insights. Almost 60 percent of all falls happen in the last 40 kilometers of a race. This year, with almost 200 incidents, it is already 24 percent above the level of the previous year at the same time. “We don’t want to see anyone die at the age of 26,” said tour director Christian Prudhomme, referring to Mäder.